Vacuum cleaner and cord-reel construction



April 17, 1962 B. J. TAMARIN VACUUM CLEANER AND CORD-REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 2o, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 J i? v INVENTOR. 55k/vato J Fume/N.

April 17, 1962 B. J.TAMAR1N VACUUM CLEANER AND CORD-REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 20, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 u 65 4 f 3 4 f i wf/ 9 2T w n.. o4. 5 nP H a 4, Z 4l 3 2L IN V EN TOR.

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April 17, 1962 B. J. TAMARIN 3,029,462

' VACUUM CLEANER AND CORD-REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 20. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVENToR. BERN/@ED .I Zune/N April 17, 1962 B. J. TAMARIN 3,029,462 VACUUM CLEANER AND CORD-REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 2o, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Bee/men .I #mme/N BY 69 af/KW 90 Tram/ex April 17, 1962 a. J. TAMARIN VACUUM CLEANER AND CORD-REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed July 20. 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 JNVENTOR. e/v/)eo J #1M/fem. W

United States Patent O 3,029,462 VACUUM CLEANER AND CORD-REEL CONSTRUCTIN f Bernard J. Tamar-in, Flourtawn, Pa., assignor to Vacuum Cleaner Corporation of America, Philadelphia, Pa., a

corporation of Pennsylvania Filed July 20, 1954, Ser. No. 444,594

1 Claim. (Cl. 15--323l The present invention relates to a torpedo type vacuumcleaner, and more particularly to a torpedo type vacuumcleaner of the type in which the generally elongated and generally horizontally disposed cleaner-housing includes a dust-collector section or bag section at one end, preferably at ythe vacuum-inlet end or suction end and a motor-and-fan section at the other end namely at the discharge end and in which the bottom of the dust-collector section is substantially higher than the bottom of the motor-and-fan section, and which-includes a bagejector section beneath the front end of the dust-collector section and depending downwardly therefrom. The torpedo type vacuum-cleaner of this type is illustrated in United States Patent 2,667,943.

The present invention contemplates a vacuum-cleaner of this type, including a cord-reel beneath the bag section of the cleaner-housing and nested between the motorand-fan section thereof and the bag-ejector section thereof, and so mounted and arranged as to be readily detachable therefrom and attachable thereto and to be firmly held in place with clearance between the bottom of the cord-reel and the plane of the bottom of the skids or supports for the cleaner, and further so arranged that the relatively stationary electric conductors from lthe cord-reel extend into the motor section of the housing, with the extensible cord arranged to be payed out transversely of the axis of the housing and at a point generally midway of the length thereof.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and organizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters indicate like parts:

FIGURE l represents a side elevational view of a vacuum-cleaner embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 represents a bottom plan view of the same.

FIGURE 3 represents a fragmentary vertical section on line 3--3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 represents a -fragmentary vertical section on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

FIGURE 5 represents a perspective view of the cordreel, shown detached.

FIGURE 6 represents a vertical cross-sectional view similar `to that shown in FIGURE 3 (again with the illustrated portions of the cleaner and reel being shown in an upside down position), illustrating a modied embodi-ment, namely, the embodiment, the details of which are further illustrated in FIGURES 7, 7a and 8.

FIGURE 7 represents a section on line 7-7 of FIG- URE 6. l

FIGURE 7a represents a `fragmentary section on line 7a-7a of FIGURES 6 and 7.

FIGURE 8 represents a perspective view, of a fragmentary portion of the vertical side of the bag ejector section which faces the motor-and-fan section (with the cleaner in the upside down position), and showing also the removable reel-anchorage member slidably in- Pce sertable into the vertical slide-recess formed in the outer wall of the Ibag-ejector section shown.

FIGURE 9 represents a side elevational View of another embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 10 represents a bottom plan view of the same.

FIGURE ll represents a section on line 11-11 of FIGURE 10, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

FIGURE 12 represents a top plan view of the cordreel of the embodimentfshown in FIGURES 9 to l1, inclusive, shown detached from the cleaner-housing.

FIGURE 13 represents a side elevational View of the cord-reel as shown in FIGURES 9 to 12, inclusive, in an upside -down position, with portions thereof in Vertical section on line IBI-I3 of FIGURE l2.

FIGURE 14 represents a bottom plan view of the reelmounting and contact-carrying member or reel-fastener member which forms a part of the embodiment of FIG- URES 9 `to 13, inclusive.

FIGURE 15 represents a side elevational view of a modified embodiment of the present invention.

FIGURE 16 represents a bottom plan view of the same.

FIGURE 17 represents a section on line 17-17 of FIGURE 16.

FIGURE 18 represents a section on line 18-18 of FIGURE 15.

InV the accompanying drawings the vacuum-cleaner housing is designated generally by the numeral 21 while the motor-and-fan section thereof is designated generally v by the numeral 22, while the dust-collector or bag section is designated generally by the numeral 23, and the bag-ejector section by the numeral 24.

The hinged closure member 25 having the suction inlet 25a in the 4front thereof, is pivotally mounted upon the pivot-supporting members 26, and opens outwardly generally in the direction o-f the arrow 26a for the insertion and removal or ejection of the dust-collector bag. The air discharge is, in turn, at 27.

While the section 22 of the cleaner-housing 21 is referred to herein as the motor-and-fan section, the term fan is used generically to include an air mover whether it be a fan or impeller or any other air-mover.

The pair of rails or skids or other supports 2S carry the cleaner in the horizontal position in the conventional manner, with the bottom of the motor-and-fan section 2?. and the bottom of the ejector-section 24 spaced above the floor a suitable distance.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 to 5, inclusive, a spring-winding electric cord-reel designated generally by the numeral 29 and having the two dished halfshells 30 and 31 forming the outer housing thereof, with the pay-out opening 32 thereof (bordered by the antifriction grommet 33) towards the center of the cleaner and facing to the side thereof, is nested between the downwardly depending vertical wall 34 of the motorand-fan section 22 and the similarly downwardly depend# ing vertical wall 35 of the bag-ejector section 24. A short downwardly depending screw-stud 36 is provided on the ejector housing 24, and a similar downwardly depending screw-stud 37 is provided on the motor-and-fan housing 22. The screw-stud 36 may be laflXed directly to the ejector housing 24 or it may be axed to a screwthreaded aperture 38 in the slidably insertable reelanchorage member 39 shown in FIGURE 8. The screwstud 3'7 may be aiiixed to an anchorage plate 4d spot welded to the bottom wall of the motor-and-fan section 22. A pair of yapertured lugs 41 and 42, having anchorage or vbase portions 43, are spot-welded to the bottom reel-housing shell 3l, asl indicated in FIGURES l, 2, 3 and 5. The apertures 44 in the lugs 41 and 42 telescope over the studs 36 and 37, and thumb-nuts or hex-nuts aeaaeea 45 lock the lugs (and hence the reel) in place, against the bottom wall 46 of the bag section 23 and nested between the downwardly depending vertical walls 34 and 35 of the motor-and-fan section 22 and of the bag-ejector section 2d, respectively. The housing shells 3) and 31 of the reel are preferably flattened slightly as at 47 and 4S; these flattened portions generally abutting the aforementioned vertical walls 34 and 35 of the housing-sections 22 and 24.

The cord-reel illustrated in the accompanying drawings may be that of United States Patents 2,391,840 or of 2,521,178 or may` be any other spring-winding electric cord-reel in which the retention of the cord-drum in any pay-out position is affected by detent mechanism not dependent on gravity or in which such detent mechanism is operative with the axis of the cord-reel disposed vertically.

From the relatively stationary electric collector-brushes of the cord-reel, electrical conductors extend to the small terminal box 49 atilxed to the reel-housing 31, from which n pair of relatively short electrical conductors 50 extend, and to the outer ends of which the female connector l is attached. The connector 51 is in turn adapted to telescope over the 2-pronged plug 52 more or less permanently mounted in the extreme rearward end of the bottom wall 46 of the bag section 23, or in the vertical wall 34 of the motor-and-fan section 22; with electrical conductors 53 extending from the two prongs thereof into the motor section 22 and connected to the electric motor therein.

As shown in FIGURES to 18, inclusive, the 2- pronged plug 52 may be mounted on the curved bottom wall of the motor-and-fan housing section 22.

By this means the cord-reel may be detached from the cleaner by unplugging the connector Si `from the 2-prongconnector 52 and removing the nuts 4S and thereupon removing the reel from its nested position.

In the embodiment illustrated particularly in FIGURES 7, 7a and 8, the lug 41 is omitted, and in its place a retainer plate 54 is spot welded to the housing7 shell 30 of the reel, and a sheet-metal or other suitable cooperative retainer 55 is atlixed (as for instance by spot welding) to the vertical wall 34 of the motor-and-fan section 22, so that by sliding the reel transversely into the space between the walls 34 and 35, the retainer 5d will slide above the retainer 55 and so interlock the reel to the wall 34 against vertical displacement in relation to the cleaner in the manner indicated on the left side of FIGURE 6 and also indicated in FIGURES 7 and 7a.

The reel-anchorage 39 illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 8 (and usable also in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 3 to support the screw 36) is provided with the vertical anges 56 and the top flange 57. In the wall 35 of the bag-ejector section 24, a vertical recess designated generally by the numeral 58 is provided with the inwardly extending anges 59 extending over a lower portion thereof, to form undercut or inwardly-enlarged guidechannels 60. The slider 39 is inserted in the direction of the arrow 61, with the llanges 56 thereof entering the uppermost portion of the recess 58 until the iianges 56 are in line with the undercut guide-channels 66, and then the anchorage member 39 is slid in the downward vertical direction of the arrow 62, until the tlange 57 abuts the upper ends of the inturned tlanges 59 so as to act as a positive limitation to the downward sliding movement of the anchorage 39. In this position the anchorage 39 is firmly in place (and yet is removable). In this position the screw-threaded hole 38 in the end of the anchorage 39 serves to receive the screw 63 which extends through the aperture 44 in the lug 42 to lock the reel in place. If desired, the stud 36 may also be anchored in the screwhole 38.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 9 to 14 inclusive, the reel is provided with a single housing shell 64, preferably of the full depth or full axial dimension of the stationary reel-axle 65, and the free edge 66 of the housing-shell 64 is recessed or notched to a slight depth, namely to the depth generally equal to the thickness of the supporting member or plate 67 and to an extent just sutlicient to receive the width of the plate 67. These notches are indicated by the arrows 66 which denote the ends of the notches which receive the plate 67. Plate 67 is preferably made of suitable sheet metal and is provided with ribs 69 pressed downwardly to reinforce or to stiien the plate. A central aperture 70 is provided in the plate 67, through which a screw (preferably a flathead screw 71) is extended downwardly and is screwthreaded directly into the reel-axle 65, thereby aftlxing the reel and its shell 64 to the plate 67 in a position downwardly depending therefrom. The interlock between the edges of the plate 67 and the ends 63 of the notches in the housing 64, serve to interlock the reel and the plate, in relation to each other, so as to prevent the reel-housing 64 and the reel-axle 65 from rotating in relation to the plate 67. The brush-carrying insulating block 72 is provided with a slight projection 73 which extends into a corresponding aperture 74 in the plate 67, thereby to keep the insulating block 72 from rotating or from being displaced in relation to the plate 67; the block 72 being held against the plate 67 -bythe shoulder 96 (shown in FIGURE 13) on the reel-axle 65 (the smallest upper end of the reel-axle extending through a corresponding aperture 75 in the insulating block 72).

The resilient collector-brushes 76 and 77, are affixed to the insulating block 72 at two different radii from the axle-receiving hole 75 thereof, by means of the metallic eyelets or grommets 78 and 79, to which the conductors Si) and S1 are atiixed. The brushes 76 and 77 are each preferably provided with two prongs or spring-leas, as shown in FIGURE 14, each carrying a silver or other suitable tip 82, to contact the slip-rings 83 and 34 carried in the insulating block 85 which revolves with the cord drum 86 of the reel. The conductors 80 and 81 are extended to an outlet-receptacle 87 aixed to one end of the plate 67, as indicated in FIGURE 14. A 2-pronged connector-plug 88 is applied to the 2-conductor wire 89 which extends into the motor section 22 and is connected to the electric motor. The plate 67 is provided with a pair of holes 90 through which screws 91 extend and are screw-threadedly secured into the bottom wall 46 of the bag-section 23 or into a nut atlixed to said wall 46, thereby detachably securing the reel in nested relation to the cleaner, with the brushes against the collector-rings.

The lowerrnost reduced end of the reel-axle 65 is provided with two ats, and the central aperture 92 in the reci-casing 64 is similarly shaped with two lats, so as thereby to interlock the reel-axle 65 and the reel-housing 64, so as to prevent the rotation of the reel-axle 65 in relation to the housing 64. The screw 93 serves to secure the housing 64 to the axle 65 (the cord-drum 86 and all the rotary parts associated therewith revolving around the stationary axle 65, and the inner end of the windingspring being anchored to the axle 65).

The construction of the cord-reel is shown in greater detail in U.S. Patent No. 2,948,913.

The present invention may be embodied in other specitic forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claim rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, the following is claimed:

In a vacuum-cleaner, a reel-supporting member, a brushblock interlocked with said supporting member, electrical Contact brushes carried by said brush-block, a springwound cord-reel having collector-rings in operative juxtaposition to said brush-block, securing means detachably securing said reel to said rcel-supporting member and retaining said brush-block to said reel-supporting member, und means deta'chably securing said reel-supporting member to said vacuum-cleaner.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Timm Apr. 11, 1950 Beede Ian. 1, 1952 Lofgren et al. June 9, 1953 Benjamin Aug. 4, 1953 Lampe July 13, 1954 Beede Sept. 25, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 16, 1937 

